Page 8 of From Paris to Seoul (K-Drama Love Story #2)

The restaurant Sun-hee mentioned was right across the street, its warm glow spilling onto the sidewalk and illuminating the terrace outside.

Inside, I spotted her and three of her friends gathered around a round table, laughing over something.

A couple of large shopping bags rested beside their chairs, a clear testament to their Parisian shopping adventures.

“Oppa, annyeong! Did you have a good time in the city? Too bad I couldn’t get you into Paris Fashion Week—today was the best day ever!” Sun-hee greeted me enthusiastically as I approached.

“Oh wait, before you sit, can you take a picture of us?” she asked, handing me her phone without even bothering to wait for my response. I pressed my lips together, took her phone, and snapped a few photos of her and her friends at the table.

When I handed the phone back, she immediately checked the pictures and frowned slightly. “Oh, it’s not centered… never mind, we can take more later.”

I sighed, slided into the seat next to her and nodded to her friends. “I had a nice day by the way. I spent the day doing touristy stuff. You should check out the Opéra Garnier across the street—it’s incredible.”

“Hmm… maybe, if there’s time,” she replied, already flipping through the menu. Her excitement shifted gears in an instant. “I’m starving !”

The ambiance of the restaurant oozed sophistication, with chandeliers sparkling above and quiet murmurs of French accents filling the room.

I noticed the waiters wearing name tags adorned with a collection of little flags, signaling their multilingual skills.

Glancing at the polished menu in front of me, I could already tell this place was going to burn a hole in my wallet.

I started by flipping to the last pages, looking for drinks. A glass of wine—15 Euros. Soda—8 Euros. A bottle of branded water—6 Euros. I gasped in silence. Back in Korea, I could get ten cans of soda for the same price.

I hesitated before checking the prices for meals. Should I just get an appetizer and skip the main course?

Noticing my reaction, Sun-hee subtly tugged at my pants under the table and shot me a death stare.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be so cheap,” she whispered, barely audible.

I stared back at her. Sure, we’re allowed to enjoy ourselves once in a while, and I do like to treat her occasionally. But did she ever consult me before picking this restaurant? Or… any restaurant, for that matter?

Why did she even want me on this trip if she was just going to spend all her time with her friends? A bitter thought popped into my mind.

And on the rare moments when she’s actually present—not glued to her phone making content—she’s throwing sharp comments my way in front of them.

I noticed some of her friends shift uncomfortably in their seats, clearly overhearing what Sun-hee had just said.

One by one, they placed their orders, and finally, it was my turn. When the food and drinks arrived, we ate mostly in silence. The taste was just… okay. It felt like we’d stumbled into a typical tourist trap.

I sighed and tried to make small talk with her friends to diffuse the tense atmosphere. After dessert (which, by the way, cost you at least one kidney), they decided they were too exhausted to walk or take the metro, so they called a ride-sharing service to take us back to the hotel.

During the ride, I could feel Sun-hee’s sharp stare piercing through me, and by the time we arrived, I knew exactly what was coming. I stepped up and paid for the entire ride, just like she expected me to.

We made our way to the room, and by then, it was clear she was giving me the silent treatment.

“You’re mad at me, aren’t you?” I finally said, tired of playing these mind games. I was too old for this.

“Oppa, how could you embarrass me in front of my friends like that? I don’t know how to face them tomorrow, I’m so embarrassed!” she burst out.

“Sorry…?” I gave her a genuinely confused look. “How did I embarrass you?”

“Well, other girls’ boyfriends just automatically pay for dinner, buy them flowers and gifts. And you? You can’t even order a steak without thinking twice!”

I gave her a long, cold stare. In that moment, I knew—we had no future together. She understood my family situation, knew I couldn’t afford to spend money carelessly, and, most importantly, knew how much I despised pretending to be someone I wasn’t just to impress others.

And yet, here we were.

That’s when I finally snapped.

I grabbed my jacket off the coat hanger, my toiletry bag from the bathroom, and some clothes off the rack, shoving them carelessly into my bag.

“You and me? We’re done,” I said, maybe a bit more dramatically than I intended, but… whatever. I was so tired of this nonsense. “Maybe you’re looking for an ATM or just another devoted fan—not a boyfriend.”

“Oppa, are you crazy?” she croaked after a few seconds, finally processing what had just happened.

“I’m leaving,” I declared, shutting the door to her room with a bit more force than I intended.

I managed to walk to the lobby with my small suitcase, emotions still running high.

Okay. And now what?

I pulled out my phone to search for a place to stay for the night—and immediately gulped at the prices. I still had a week left here before heading back to Korea. It would cost a fortune, but at this point, anything was better than staying with my ex.

Why were we even together in the first place? A wave of regret crept in. Sure, she was cute, but beyond that… did we ever really connect? And the whole influencer thing—even thinking about it makes my head feel like it’s about to explode.

After booking a small room through an app, I dragged my sorry ass out of the hotel lobby. The place I found was a tiny room on the seventh floor of a building with no elevator.

As I trudged toward the nearest metro station, I swore to myself: no more relationships.